Showtime renews 'Homeland' for a second season

Showtime has renewed Homeland, a drama about a CIA officer who becomes convinced that the intelligence that led to the rescue of a U.S. soldier was a setup and connected to an Al Qaeda terrorist plot. The series stars Claire Danes, Damian Lewis and Mandy Patinkin and is from Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa. The pay network ordered 12 new episodes.

The series debuted as Showtime’s highest-rated freshman drama ever, generating 4.4 million in its first week. Sunday’s episode also delivered the series’ best ratings-to-date. “Homeland is just getting started,” said Showtime Entertainment President David Nevins in a statement. “Clearly, the overall growth from week one to week four demonstrates that this show is hitting a nerve in the cultural zeitgeist. Alex and Howard have created a psychological thriller that holds special reverence in the post 9/11 world.”